7: Life cycle nutrition of cats - growth Flashcards
Nursing kittens depend on the queen for…
- food
- antibodies
- warmth
- hygiene
Nursing kittens cry when… Poor interaction with the queen can lead to…
Hungry, cold, hot or in discomfort
Poor interaction may result in cannibalism or neglect
Body temperature of nursing kittens? What is dangerous
At birth = 36C
1 week of age = 37.5C
Body temp poorly regulated during first 4 weeks. Queen maintains temp and humidity of nestbox.
Hyperthermia as detrimental as hypothermia
When does the queen produce colostrum? What nutrients are in it
24 to 72 hours after parturition
High DM content
Low lactose level (increases as lactation continues)
Protein and lipid levels decline from day 1 to 3, then rebound back up
Why do nursing kittens need colostrum? When?
Naive immune system. Antibodies not transferred in placenta.
Should receive colostrum within 12h of birth
~16h after birth passive immunoglobulin transfer stops
What nutrients are found in milk? What is it needed for
- water, protein, fat, lactose, minerals and vitamins
- high levels of arginine and taurine
- essential f.a.
- milk DHA concentration reflects queens intake
Need milk for normal growth and development
Trend in Ca:N ratio of milk
Ca:N ratio reduces during suckling (around week 3-4), then goes back up at week 6
Insufficient Ca:N ratio for skeletal calcification
Variation in different nutrients in milk as lactation progresses
- increase in milk energy, protein, lactose, Ca and p levels
- decrease in Cu, Fe and Mg
What is the relationship between milk protein and growth rate
For most mammals, the high the % protein in the milk the less days required to double birth weight (faster growth)
Typical birth weight of kittens?
Typical weekly weight gain?
85 to 120 g (average 100 g) birth weight
Weekly weight gain ~100 g
Energy requirement of nursing kittens? Energy content of milk?
Energy requirement = 20-25 kcal/100 g BW
Milk contains between 0.85 and 1.6 kcal/mL : increases with progressing lactation
Why might excess cows milk be detrimental to kittens?
High in sugars/CHOs that kittens do not have the enzymes to digest
What ingredients should be included in milk replacer for orphaned kittens
Lactose, fatty acids (unsaturated; fish oil), whey protein, LCFA
Describe the weaning process in kittens
Gradual process
Queen starts avoiding kittens, kittens start eating more food
Starts 3 to 4 weeks of age
Completed at 6 to 10 weeks of age (6wks = 30% of caloric requirement from solid food)
Impacts of forced weaning? Late weaning?
Stressful event if forced. No maternal antibodies (reduced immune defense). Increased morbidity and mortality in post weaning period.
Late = more time for immune system maturation, decreased kitten mortality in post weaning phase
What types of food should be used in the weaning process? Which shouldn’t?
First offer moist food with water or milk replacer
By 6 to 8 weeks teach kittens to eat dry food
Semi-moist food promotes highly acidic urinary pH. Metabolic acidosis. Impaired bone mineralization. Use limited amounts of semi-moist treats.
When is the post-weaning to adulthood phase (growth)? During this phase, nutrient requirements need to support…
8 weeks of age until 10 to 12 months
Nutrient requirements = maintenance + growth
(growth slows with nutritional deficiencies)
Slide 23
Look at formula, understand it
Describe protein requirement of a growing kitten
- high at weaning, decrease gradually to adult level
- higher requirements for sulfur amino acids than other species
- 56.3 g/1000 kcal ME (adult cat is 50g)
Describe fat requirements in growing kittens
- higher in growing cat than adult
- docosahexenoic acid (DHA) important for neural development
- 9% DM recommended
- 22.5 RA g/1000 kcal ME
Essential f.a.? Other?
Linoleic, a-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid
EPA + DHA for brain development (found in fish oil)
Fat digestibility in growing kittens? How might you ameliorate low fat digestibility using ingredients?
Fat digestibility increases with age (between 9-17 weeks)
Improve digestibility by feeding PUFA’s (more digestible) and not a lot of saturated fats
Recommended Ca and P allowance in growing kittens? What happens if diet is low in Ca?
Ca: 440 mg/kg BW per day
P: 400 mg/kg BW per day
Low in Ca high in P = nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism = osteitis fibrosa (brittle bone)
Carbohydrate requirements in growing kittens
- no known requirements
- adequate supply of gluconeogenic amino acids
- can readily digest (some) starch in cereal grains
Benefit or consequences of feeding fiber to growing kittens
Prebiotic fiber can aid in gut health
Too much fiber = loose feces, hinder digestion of other nutrients
Slide 29
look
‘Normal’ eating behaviour in cats
Hunt solitarily, strictly carnivorous
12-20 meals/day ad libitum
Hunt and sleep during the day and night
Average mouse = 30 kcal = 8% of cat’s daily energy requirement
How do cats adjust to diet energy densities? Why is it difficult to assess ‘normal’ behaviour in cats
Would normally adjust food intake to diet energy density. Pet cats with high energy diets combined with little exercise may face obesity.
Because of domestication
Describe the cats predatory drive
Strong
Cat will stop eating meal to make a kill
Owners may confuse predatory behaviour with hunger
What are cats sensitive to in terms of eating behaviour? Food preferences may be…
Sensitive to physical form (including texture), odor and taste of food
Inherited
How are eating behaviours of cats learned and inherited? Cats may become…
- easily influence food preference of kittens with queen present
- queens trained to eat bananas and mashed potatoes in the presence of meat = kittens ate bananas and mashed potatoes
Neophobic (dislike diff foods) or neophilic (likes)
How to feed a cat to promote eating behaviour
- use animal products: fat, protein, meat extracts, free aa found in muscle
- not attracted to taste of sugars
- averse to some flavors derived from plant products (e.g. medium-chain TGs like coconut oil)
- dislike foods with powdery, sticky or greasy textures
Why do queens exhibit coprophagia behaviour
With kittens <30 days of age
To keep the nest clean, prevent smells that may attract predators
Describe plant or grass eating in cats
- natural behaviour
- grass is not digested
- acts as local irritant, sometimes stimulate vomiting
- may serve as purgative to eliminate hair or other indigestible material (hairballs)
- response to nutritional deficiencie, boredom, taste preference
Learned taste aversions in cats
- adaptive response
- linked to negative digestive tract experience (vomiting, nausea)
- up to 40 days
- if eats food and gets sick (even for diff reason) they link the two events and avoid that food
Anorexia behaviour in cats
- few days of inappetence not detrimental to healthy cat
- malnutrition, reduced immune function, increased risk for hepatic lipidosis
- can be due to stress, unacceptable foods or concurrent disease
- change diet to highly palatable food
What is hepatic lipidosis
In obese cats. When energy is being released from adipose it can accumulate in the liver. Too many f.a. in the liver that can be oxidized for energy
Describe fixed-food preferences in cats
Food type in first 6 months of kitten’s life influences food preferences
Fixed-food preferences when only fed limited number of foods
Describe polyphagia in cats
- excessive food consumption
- can be mediated by disease, drugs, psychological stress and underfeeding
